09:05 Ukraine Russia crisis: where to from here?

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 NATO’s Expanding Membership Photo: NATO

The Russia - Ukraine crisis deepens by the day.  100,000 Russian troops, tanks and artillery have massed on Ukraine's borders in recent weeks, prompting fears of an invasion - despite repeated Russian denials of any plan to attack.  Meanwhile the UK's government has come into  lockstep with US and other allies to freeze assets and ban travel in the event of a Russian incursion into Ukraine. Russia alleges that U.S. leaders have broken promises they made in the early 1990s to not expand NATO's membership eastward. The U.S. and NATO leaders say no such pledges were made and refuse to discuss limitations on NATO's future expansion. So what, if any, prospects exist for a solution to this impasse? Kathryn speaks with Sir Adam Thomson,  Director of the European Leadership Network. He's a former UK Permanent Representative to NATO; British High Commissioner to Pakistan, and Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.

Tactical training with the engineers of the Guard of the Red-Snow of Russia's Armed Forces in Voronezh region, east of Ukraine border on 21 January, 2022.

Tactical training with the engineers of the Guard of the Red-Snow of Russia's Armed Forces in Voronezh region, east of Ukraine border on 21 January, 2022. Photo: Russian Ministry of Defence / EyePress via AFP

09:30 OECD report highlights risk of government COVID debt

New Zealand currency held fanned out in someones hand

Photo: 123RF

The OECD says rising debt due to government Covid stimulus and the soaring housing market are risks for the economy. The Paris based intergovernmental economic organisation has issued its three yearly report card on New Zealand's economy. It finds that economic recovery has been rapid and strong and the economy is showing signs of overheating.The report says the government needs to commit to explicit long-term debt-to-GDP targets, and change some policies such as pension eligibility. Kathryn discusses the report with independent economist Cameron Bagrie.

09:45 USA correspondent Ron Elving

When US President Joe Biden took office a year ago promising to focus on the domestic crisis of that moment - the COVID-19 pandemic that was killing tens of thousands of Americans each week, confining millions to their homes and hobbling the world's largest economy. Ron says implicit in that promise was the unavoidable corollary: American involvement in other parts of the world would have to take a back seat to the domestic crisis at hand. That is, until the reckoning in Afghanistan intruded, and before the Russians massed armoured divisions on their border with Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden speaks on the phone to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on diplomatic solutions to soaring Russia-West tensions over Ukraine

US President Joe Biden speaks on the phone to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on diplomatic solutions to soaring Russia-West tensions over Ukraine Photo: WHITE HOUSE/AFP

Ron Elving is a Senior Editor and Correspondent, Washington Desk for NPR news 

 

10:05 Lifting the spirits - Belle: an aerial circus delight

A performance of air, featuring aerialists, live music and dance artists, Belle is featuring in the upcoming Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts. The performance is above and all around you.  Belle takes its name from the French word for dragonfly llibellule which is a symbol of transformation in some cultures.  One of the key creatives working with an all-female cast, dancer, choreographer and previous World of Wearable Art director Malia Johnston speaks with Kathryn.

10:35 Book review: Three of the best of 2021: Some Answers Without Questions by Lavinia Greenlaw, Intimacies by Katie Kitamura and My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley

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Photo: Supplied

Kiran Dass reviews three favourite novels from 2021: Some Answers Without Questions by Lavinia Greenlaw, published by Faber; Intimacies by Katie Kitamura published by Jonathan Cape and My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley published by Granta.

10:45 The Reading

Jamie McCaskill reads the second episode of Spider by William Taylor.

11:05 Business commentator Pattrick Smellie

Pattrick talks to Kathryn about the IRD figures that show that a lot of business owners declared dividends last year, and paid tax in advance on those dividends, in order to avoid having to pay the new 39% top personal tax rate if those dividends were declared in the future. All legal, logical and an interesting insight into how business owners think. Also, aluminium prices are booming and there are signs of a worldwide shortage as energy costs, which are rising in the current global inflationary environment. What does this mean for Rio Tinto at the Bluff smelter?.

21586193 - a vibrant sunrise overlooking bluff aluminium smelter new zealand

Photo: ekays/123RF

Pattrick Smellie is the editor and co-founder of BusinessDesk and has reported on the New Zealand economy and business since 1983.

 

11:30  Techniques to deal with grief in its many forms

Rebekah Ballagh

Photo: credit Katrina Tikey

The last two years have been tough for people dealing with the life changes caused by the pandemic, including not always being able to be with dying loved ones, or socialise as they normally would. Nelson based counsellor, Rebekah Ballagh is the author of bestsellers Note to Self and Note to Self Journal. Her new book Words of Comfort - How to Find Hope aims to help people to work through grief.

11:45 Media commentator Andrew Holden

Newshub's political editor Tova O'Brien prepares for a live cross from the chamber's Press Gallery

Newshub's political editor Tova O'Brien prepares for a live cross from the chamber's Press Gallery Photo: ©VNP / Phil Smith

With Three former political editor Tova O'Brien joining Mediaworks' rebranded breakfast radio, Andrew looks at why the move ended up before the Employment Relations Authority. A restraint of trade clause means Tova O'Brien must wait to start her new radio job. Was Three's parent company right to block her move?.
And a new study on Public broadcasting suggests those countries which provide greater funding for public media have healthier democracies. 
 

Andrew Holden is a journalist for more than 30 years including five as Editor of The Press (in Christchurch) and four as Editor-in-Chief of The Age in Melbourne. 

 

Music played in this show

Track: Write A List of Things to Look Forward To
Artist: Courtney Barnett
Time played: 09:46

Track: Fortunate Son
Artist: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Time played: 10:28

Track: This Charming Van
Artist: The Phoenix Foundation
Time played: 10:40

Track: Little Wing
Artist: Valerie June
Time played: 11:30